The Israeli military stated that American woman Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who was killed during a protest in the occupied West Bank, was likely hit unintentionally by Israeli fire. The incident occurred during a demonstration against the expansion of settlements in the West Bank. The IDF claimed that the fire was aimed at the main instigator of the protest and not directly at Eygi. Her family and the U.S. government called for a thorough and transparent investigation into her death.
The IDF has launched an investigation through the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division, with plans to submit the findings for review by the Military Advocate General’s Corps. Israel has also requested to conduct an autopsy on Eygi’s body. The incident has brought attention to the rise in deadly settler violence in the West Bank, with the International Court of Justice declaring Israel’s practices in breach of international law.
The Israeli government faces scrutiny over its handling of the situation, as well as a separate FBI investigation into the killing of another American, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, in the West Bank in 2022. Israel initially blamed Palestinian gunmen for the shooting, but later admitted it was likely an Israeli soldier. Israel has not cooperated with the FBI investigation, and no one in the Israeli military has been prosecuted for Abu Akleh’s death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed international criticisms of Israel’s actions in the West Bank.
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